Apparatus for equalizing tension on webs



Dec. 7, 1954 R. o. BIRCHLER ETAL 2,696,192

APPARATUS FOR EQUALIZING TENSION 0N WEBS Filed Oct. 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! Dec. 7, 1954 R. o. BIRCHLER ETAL APPARATUS FOR EQUALIZING TENSION ON WEBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 23, 1952 INVENTORS.

ATT'Y Dec. 7, 1954 R. o. BIRCHLER ETAL 2,696,192

APPARATUS FOR EQUALIZING TENSION 0N WEBS Filed Oct. 23, 1952 SSIxeets-Sheet 3 IN VE RS:

R. O. BIRCHL BY E. W. ERTNER ATT'Y United States Patent APPARATUS FOR EQUALIZING TENSION 0N. WEBS Robert 0; Birchler, Cicero, and Edward W.-.Ertner, Chicago, l1l"., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York,. N. Y., a corporation ofNew York- Application October23,195-2-, Serial-No; 316,524

9: Claims. (Cl'..118=-3f4) This. invention relates. to apparatus for equalizing tension on webs, and more particularly to apparatus for equalizing: the tension on a web having baggyor stretched portions.v

In many processes of continuously treating or coating webs, such as for example the application of lacquer-to a web of paper, it' is essential for best results to have all portionsof such a web under tension. Past known apparatus has been satisfactory for handling webs which have no baggy portions or stretched edges or the like, but have been. very difficult to use in handling webs having. such portions.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for equalizing tension. on webs.

Another object of the invention: is to provide apparatus; for equalizing the tension on a webhaving baggy or 9 stretched portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for taking up slack of baggy or stretched portions of a web as the web is advanced over a roll for applying lacquer to. the web.

An apparatus illustrating certain featuresof the invention may include means for removingslack from'the'baggy orstretched portions of a webas the web is advanced continuously while under tension.

An apparatus forming. a more specific embodiment of the. invention may include an applicator roll for applying lacquer to a web of paper advanced thereover and a doctor blade spaced from the applicator roll for spreading the lacquer applied to the web by the applicator roll. Springpressed arms press shoes against the web, and the shoes extend in staggered, overlapping relationship across the portion of the web between the roll and the blade; to take out slack in stretched and baggy portions of the web and equalize contact between all portions of the 'web and the doctor blade and. the applicator roll.

A complete understanding of the invention maybe obtained from thefollowing detailed description ofan apparatus forming a specific embodiment thereof; when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, which Fig. 1- is a fragmentary, vertical section of an apparatus forming one embodimentof the invention;

Fig. 2" is a partially sectional, frontelevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 33 of-Fig; 2, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view. of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to thedrawings, there is shown therein a machine for applying lacquer from a tank to a web 11- of thin tissue paper which may be baggy in portions, and the end portions thereof may be stretched with respect to the central portions thereof. The web 11 is advanced from a supply roll (not shown) partially around guide rollers 12, which guide the web into contact with an applicator roll 14 receiving lacquer from a roll 15 partially immersed in lacquer in the tank 10. The web is continuously advanced from the roll 14 over a doctor blade 16 which includes a driven roll 17 and a support 18. The doctor blade 16 may be of the type disclosed in copending application Serial No. 243,278, filed August 23, 1951, for Apparatus for Coating Webs. The doctor blade spreads the lacquer evenly onto the web, which is advanced from the doctor blade over a hot air drier 20 and around a steam heated drum 21 to a takeup roll 22 rotated by rollers 23 which support the takeup roll 22.

2,696,192 Patented Dec. 7,. 1.954

the. web, is. advanced from. the roll 14,. shoes: 25 mounted. pivotally on arms 26 of levers 27 rotatably mounted on; a rod 28 are pressed against the web by the action: of springs 29-. Each shoe is provided with. a longitudinally, straight, laterally convex; web-engaging edge portion. 31- having sloping. end portions 32. The. edges 31 engage the web, and the sloping end portions. 32' tend to spread the web laterally to prevent longitudinal wrin kiss in. the web. Alternate ones of the shoes 25 are spaced ahead of the other shoes 25, and the web engaging portions 3.1 of the alternate shoes overlap the web-engaging portions. of the shoes on each side thereof.

Eachl shoe. is provided with a bearing portion 35fitting rotatably on the arm 26 associated therewith, and is securedto the arm. 26 by a cap screw 36 so that each of the shoes 25 is: floating and conforms. to the contour of the taut portion of the. paper which the web-engaging portions 31 of the: shoes contact; Since the web-engaging portions 31 overlap one: another, they prevent any longitudinal wrinkles in the paper since there are a multitude of the shoes 25} engaging with the web 11, the slack from the: stretched edge portions and saggy central portions of the web are taken up, and; these portions are contacted by the applicator roll 14. with the same force and spacing as; those in which the non-stretched and non-saggy portions of the web are contacted thereby so that the application imd spreading of the lacquer to and on the web 11 is uni- The levers: 27 are. mounted on radial-and-thrust bearings 40: on. the shaft 28. between arms 41' and 42 which are fixed against rotation relative to the shaft 28. The arms 41 and 42; support a rod 43 normally positioned out of contact. with the arms or levers 27. However; when a handle 45 is. actuated to rotate the arm 42 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig; 3,, the shaft 28 also is rotated therewith, and the shaft rotates the arm 41 therewith to swing the rod 43 into engagement with the arms 26 of the. levers 27 andswing: the shoes 25 completely out of contact with, the: web 11, and out of the path of the. web, thereby providing clearance for stringing up. the. web in the: machine.

The arm 42. is splined to the shaft 28, and it is secured rotatably to a. bushing 50. by screws 51 and. a locking screw 5.2: projecting through slots 53 in the arm 42 and threaded into bores 54: formed in; the bushing and a mounting sleeve:55 to which. the. bushing Sllis secured by a set screw 56... The mounting sleeve. 55 is bolted to a side 57 of the housing: oi the machine. An arbor portion 58 formed integrally with the arm 42 fits rotatably in the bushing 50.

The lefthand endof the shaft 23 is. threaded. into a sleeve: 61 pinned. to a crank 62. mounted. rotatably in a ring 63; secured to a wall 64: of the housing. The sleeve 61: is mounted. rotatably' in: a stepped bushing 65 by a roller bearing: 66 and is held against thrust by shoulders 67 and 68- formed on the stepped: bushing 65 and the sleeve 61,. respectively; Thev sleeve 61: is secured to the stepped bushing by' alocking. ring 69; which engages a washer 70 transmitting thrust from the sleeve 61 to the locking ring 69 through the inner race of the roller bearing 66. A set screw 73 secures the stepped bushing 65' against rotation relative to a mounting sleeve 74 bolted to the wall 64 of the: housing.

When the crank 62 is: rotated it serves to slide the entire shaft 28 and all the levers- 27 mounted thereon. laterally with: respect to the web 11, the rod; 43- being slidably mounted by" the arm 41. Thus, if the web 11 should be strung up. in a position laterally oli-set from that for which the shoes 25 are set, the levers 27 and the shoes 25 may be adjusted laterally to correct this condition.

Each of the springs 29 is secured at its upper end to one of the adjustment screws 82 mounted adjustably by nuts 83 on an angle iron 84 extending from the Wall 64 and bolted to these elements. Thus, the tension on each of the springs 29 may be adjusted irrespective of the tension on the other springs so that the tensions of the springs of the shoes 25 engaging the stretched edge portions may be the same while in operative position as those on the springs pressing the shoes into engagement with nonstretched and non-baggy portions of the web.

The above-described apparatus serves to uniformly apply lacquer to webs irrespective of stretched or baggy portions in the webs, and also prevents formation of longitudinal wrinkles in the webs between the applicator roll and the doctor blade. This apparatus is simple and eflicacious in its operation, while inexpensive in structure.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for equalizing tension on webs, which comprises a pair of web-guiding elements spaced a substantial distance apart, means for advancing a web under tension in engagement with the web-guiding elements, a plurality of pressers, means mounting the pressers in staggered overlapping positions extending across the web and engaging a portion of the web between the web-guiding elements, and means individual to the pressers for holding the pressers in engagement with the web.

2. An apparatus for equalizing tension on webs, which comprises a pair of web-guiding elements spaced a substantial distance apart, means for advancing a web under tension in engagement with the web-guiding elements, a plurality of elongated, convex shoes for engaging a portion of the web between the web-guiding elements, and resilient means individual to the shoes mounting the shoes floatingly and pivotally and in engagement with the web in staggered overlapping positions extending transversely of the web.

3. An apparatus for equalizing tension on webs, which comprises a pair of web-guiding elements spaced a substantial distance apart, means for advancing a web under tension in engagement with the web-guiding elements, a plurality of elongated presser shoes having sloping ends, means mounting the shoes pivotally in staggered overlapping positions extending across a portion of the web between the web-guiding elements, and means individual to the presser shoes for urging the presser shoes into engagement with the web.

4. An apparatus for taking up slack in a web having a stretched portion comprising a pair of guide rolls spaced apart, means for advancing the web continuously past and in engagement with the rolls, a shaft extending parallel to the rolls, a plurality of arms mounted pivotally on the shaft, a plurality of shoes each mounted pivotally on one of the arms in staggered relationship with respect to the shoes adjacent thereto, each of said shoes being provided with a curved web-engaging portion, and individually adjustable means for urging the arms individually in such a direction as to press the shoes against the portion of the web between the guide rolls.

5. An apparatus for taking up slack in a web having a stretched portion comprising a pair of guide means spaced substantially from one another, means for advancing the web continuously past and in engagement with the guide means, a plurality of arms, a plurality of shoes each mounted pivotally on one of the arms, and means mounting the arms pivotally and urging the arms to positions in which each shoe is staggered and overlapping with respect to the shoes adjacent thereto and engages a portion of the web, each of said shoes being provided with an elongated web-engaging portion and also having sloping end portions.

6. An apparatus for taking up slack in a web having a stretched portion comprising a pair of guide means spaced substantially from one another, means for advancing the web continuously past and in engagement with the guide means, a shaft extending across the portion of the web between the means, a plurality of arms mounted rotatably on the shaft, a plurality of shoes each mounted rotatably on one of the arms, means mounting the arms in such positions that each shoe isstaggered relative to the shoes adjacent thereto, each of said shoes being provided with an elongated web-engaging portion, adjustable means for urging the arms individually in such a direction as to press the shoes against the portion of the web between the guide means, a pair of arms secured to the shaft against rotation relative thereto, a rod carried by said pair of arms, means for rotating the shaft to swing the rod into engagement with the shoe-bearing arms and move the shoes out of engagement with the web, and means for shifting the shoe-bearing arms laterally with respect to the web.

I 7. An apparatus for taking up slack in a web having a stretched portion comprising a pair of guide rolls spaced substantially apart, means for advancing the web continuously past and in engagement with the rolls, a shaft extending parallel to the rolls, a plurality of levers mounted rotatably on the shaft, a plurality of shoes each mounted rotatably on one of the levers in positions staggered relative to the shoes adjacent thereto, each of said shoes being provided with an elongated web-engaging portion longitudinally straight and laterally curved and also having sloping end portions, and individually adjustable means for urging the levers individually in such a direction as to prielss the shoes against the portion of the web between the re s.

8. In an apparatus including an applicator, guide means for guiding a web being advanced past the applicator in engagement with the applicator and means for advancing the web continuously past and in engagement with the applicator and the guide means, the improvement comprising a shaft extending parallel to the applicator, a plurality of levers mounted rotatably on the shaft, a plurality of shoes each mounted rotatably on one of the levers in positions staggered relative to the shoes adjacent thereto, each of said shoes being provided with an elongated web-engaging portion longitudinally straight and laterally curved and also having sloping end portions and individually adjustable means for urging the levers individually in such a direction as to press the shoes against the portion of the web between the applicator and the guide means.

9. An apparatus for taking up slack in a web having a stretched portion comprising a pair of spaced guide rolls, means for advancing the web continuously past and in engagement with the rolls, a shaft extending parallel to the rolls, a plurality of levers mounted rotatably on the shaft, a plurality of shoes each mounted rotatably on the levers in positions staggered relative to the shoes adjacent thereto, each of said shoes being provided with an elongated web-engaging portion longitudinally straight and laterally curved and also having sloping end portions, individually adjustable means for urging the levers individually in such a direction as to press the shoes against the portion of the web between the rolls, a pair of arms secured to the shaft against rotation relative thereto, a rod carried by the arms, means for rotating the shaft to swing the rod into engagement with the levers and move the shoes out of engagement with the web, and means for shifting the levers laterally with respect to the web.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 179,768 Bustin July 11, 1876 745,240 Rolland Nov. 24, 1903 1,469,728 Levy Oct. 2, 1923 

